With You In My Head
by CatchHellBlues
Summary: She didn't know why they had accepted her with such open arms...but she'd be damned if she'd let anything take her away from them now.
1. You Jump, I Jump

**A/N: Okay, so a few things I need to get out of the way: 1) I don't own any of the characters except Violet and anyone else I may create as this story goes along, 2) I mean no disrespect in writing this, as I hold the utmost respect and admiration for the men of Easy Company...that being said, this story is based solely on the series and the actors who portray the characters, and 3) while at some points I do not follow the series exactly, I have tried to remain relatively realistic (as realistic as a woman joining Easy Company can possibly be :))...this is just for fun, of course something like this probably could never have happened...but the actors are just so damn hot, one can dream.**

**Enjoy, and pleaseeeeee review with any suggestions or comments you may have**

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* * *

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Camp Toccoa, Georgia, mid-August, 1942

Lewis Nixon wiped at the sweat on his brow and struggled to catch his breath. He had just finished the grueling obstacle course that the men were forced to run daily, and even the cool air that the morning's rain had brought to Georgia wasn't enough to comfort him.

"Nix! There you are." Lew looked up to see Dick Winters jogging towards him. Lew struggled to smile at his friend, but was too winded to succeed. Dick laughed and clapped Lewis on the back.

"Sobel…is one fucking…piece of work," Nixon spat through heavy breaths. Dick smirked at him and nodded.

"Easy Company, at attention!" Lewis and Dick looked up to see Sobel shouting at the troops, and hesitantly made their way over to the lanky lieutenant.

Herbert Sobel, they were learning quickly, was not a man to piss off.

They stood in formation, watching with eyes full of hatred at their commanding officer. Lewis could sense the dread amongst the men as they anticipated what Sobel would have them do next. Surely, they would be running up and down Currahee; they had already become accustomed to the rigorous 6-mile trip.

"You can thank the rain, men. No run today."

Lewis could hear the collective sigh of relief, and couldn't contain his own smile.

He looked to Dick as they walked towards the mess hall for lunch. "I don't know about you, but I still hate the guy."

They entered the hall to find the men excitedly devouring plates full of spaghetti, a welcome change to the piles of mush they had been eating since they arrived. Lewis and Dick exchanged wary glances.

"Am I wrong to be suspicious of this?" Lewis muttered.

"Not at all," Dick said as he looked around at the soldiers.

They filled their own plates, although not to the brim like the others had. Just as they were finishing up, Sobel and another officer entered the mess hall.

"The orders have been changed. We run." Sobel shouted across the room. The men groaned; some looked close to tears. When he decided they weren't moving at a quick enough pace, Sobel began running through the room like a madman, shouting "Let's go!"

"Son of a bitch," Lewis swore as he followed Dick behind the other men.

* * *

**Meanwhile...**

"Colonel Sink? There's a young woman here to see you."

Sink looked up at his secretary, Nancy, and cocked an eyebrow. "Who is it?"

"She says her name is Violet Ryer, and that it's urgent she speak to you right away."

"Well what does she want?" He commented gruffly.

"I'm not sure, sir. Should I send her in?" Nancy was becoming impatient.

"Yes, yes. Send her in." He sighed.

Not a moment later, a young brunette stepped through the door, her gray eyes glancing around the room in curiosity.

Colonel Sink stood to greet her, and she shook his outstretched hand.

"Hello, Ms. Ryer, take a seat." He spoke in his rough southern drawl.

Violet smiled brightly and sat across from him as he lowered into his own seat. She took a deep breath, playing over in her mind what she had rehearsed on the long train ride to Georgia. '_Make him see that he needs you here._'

"How can I help you, Miss?" he offered her a small smile as he shuffled through some of the papers on his desk.

She looked him straight in the eye, hoping to convey a strength that she wasn't sure she had. "I understand there is a shortage of qualified medics enlisting for the airborne…"

"A shortage of qualified _male _medics…yes." He peered at her curiously and she felt her confidence diminishing.

"Sir, I think- _I know_- that I would be of much use as a medic here. I've been trained by the Red Cross, I have experience in hospitals, I-"

"Miss, I think you would find more success with the Women's Army Corps."

She shook her head sternly. Her expression was so fierce Sink had trouble believing it was coming from such a petite girl.

"Colonel, with all due respect, the WAC does not offer the experience I'm looking for. I'm already far more qualified than any of the men you have lined up…I'm in physically good shape…I speak German…I've used a gun before while hunt-" He held up his hand to stop her rambling.

"Did you say you speak German?"

Her eyes lit excitedly. '_Why did I not think to mention that earlier?' _

"Yes sir, fluently. I learned while living in Europe as a child."

She had always had a knack for languages…give her a week and she could tell you a story in French. Her older brother, however, had been stubborn. "_Why should I learn a new language when we'll probably be moving again next month?_" she remembered him complaining.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and was quiet for a moment. He had just had a meeting with Major Strayer regarding 2nd battalion's need for translators…to find someone, male or female, that was both a medic and fluent in German would not happen frequently.

His silence was deafening and she found herself struggling to keep from slapping him and demanding an answer.

"I'm taking a huge risk here" he said almost as if to himself. "Miss. Ryer, I can't promise that you'll get the same pay or benefit as the men…to my knowledge, something like this has never been done before within the United States military…" He stared over at her, his tone showing his confliction.

Violet shot up out of her seat and scurried around the desk, taking his hand into her own and shaking it wildly. "Colonel, you won't regret this," she beamed.

"I don't think you understand what you're getting yourself into." _'Hell I don't even know what I'm getting myself into.' _He thought grimly before explaining further. "Your training will not be easy. In this aspect you will be treated like the rest of the men." Sink spoke sternly; in the back of his mind he was hoping she would change hers.

"I'm fully prepared for whatever you have to throw at me," she smiled.

He shook his head but couldn't help but smile back. He had to admire her spirit, though it grieved him to think of what she would have to face

"Obviously you will need to be briefed on the duties of a paratrooper, the training you will be expected to complete, and so on. You will also be put through a series of tests that will evaluate your skills as both a medic and a translator."

Violet nodded animatedly, barely listening to what Colonel Sink was saying. In her mind, fireworks were going off and a band was playing loudly in her honor. '_I did it._'

"Nancy!"

Sink's yell snapped Violet out of her thoughts and the blonde secretary stepped into the office.

"Yes, sir?" she answered.

"Take Miss. Ryer to see Lt. Jacobs," Sink spoke as he scribbled out a note on a piece of paper. He handed it to Nancy and then directed his attention to Violet.

"This note should explain the basics of your situation. Lt. Jacobs will start your testing, and I will meet you down there shortly."

Violet nodded before following Nancy out the door.

Sink picked up a glass of scotch from his desk and crossed his office to the window. He could see Easy Company across the expansive field, the men having just finished their run up Currahee. They looked to be in awful condition; several were off to the side vomiting.

He shook his head as he took a sip of the liquor. '_I guess we'll find out soon enough if she has what it takes to be a paratrooper._'

* * *

Violet watched, entertained, as Lt. Jacobs read the note from Colonel Sink. His small eyes widened behind his thick glasses and he looked incredulously at her.

"But…you're a woman." He squeaked in his high-pitched voice.

She couldn't help but laugh at the scrawny officer. He wasn't much taller than she, and she stood at a whopping 5 foot 3.

"Is it that obvious?" She joked.

He sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Take a seat, I guess. I'll be right back." He pointed at a rusty metal chair that stood behind a desk in the middle of the room before scurrying away.

A few minutes later, Lt. Jacobs returned, but he was not alone; next to him stood a thin officer with dark hair and dimples.

"Private Liebgott, this is Violet Ryer. I need you to test her on her German skills."

Liebgott looked down at Jacobs, amused. "Is that right? And how do you suggest I do that?"

Jacobs stammered, unsure of how to reply to Liebgott's teasing.

Liebgott took the seat opposite from Violet's and spun it so that he could sit on it backwards. He leaned his arms against the back of the chair and looked at her curiously.

"Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" He started off easy. (Do you speak German?)

"Ja." (Yes.)

"Lt. Jacobs ähnelt einem dürren kleinen Mädchen, Recht?" (Lt. Jacobs looks like a scrawny little girl, doesn't he?)

Violet's hand flew to her mouth to stifle her giggles and Liebgott's dark eyes shone with his own laughter. Lt. Jacob's looked back and forth between them, eyebrows knotting in confusion.

"Das ist nicht sehr nett!" She said, smiling at him. (That is not very nice!)

He shrugged, returning her smile. "Wie haben Sie Deutsch gelernt?" (How did you learn German?)

She thought fondly back to the year she had spent in the beautiful country. "Ich lebte dort für eine kurze Zeit als Kind." (I lived there for a short time as a child.)

He nodded, a smile still planted firmly on his face, and stood from the chair. "She knows her stuff, Lieutenant. Nothing to worry about."

Lt. Jacobs did not look entirely convinced, but nodded anyway. "Thank you, Private Liebgott. You may go back to barracks, then."

Liebgott winked at Violet before exiting the room, leaving her with a noticeable blush across her cheeks.

Jacobs stared at her uneasily, fidgeting with the note that he still clutched in his hands. "That was quick…I don't know what to do now…this isn't a very usual occurrence."

Luckily for him, Sink walked in at that very moment. Jacob snapped to attention, his weak arms shaking as he saluted the Colonel.

"At ease, Lieutenant. How are things here?"

Jacobs bit his lip, his face pale. "Well sir, I brought Private Liebgott in to speak with Miss. Ryer…he assured me that her German skills are more than adequate."

Violet had to use all the power she could muster to keep from laughing again at the comment Liebgott had made about Jacobs.

Sink turned to her and smiled. "Glad to hear it. If you'd come with me, Miss, I think it's time I see these medical skills you spoke so proudly of."

* * *

Perconte was sprawled out across his bed, limbs dangling off the sides.

"I can't move my body." He mumbled to Luz, who sat reading a book on the bed next to his.

George looked over his book at him, rolling his eyes at Frank's position. "Get used to it, Perco."

"Fucking Sobel." Frank muttered before painfully pulling himself into a sitting position.

Just then, Liebgott bounded into the barracks, almost knocking Shifty over with the door.

"Christ, Joe, where's the fire?" Guarnere called out from a bed where he was playing cards with Malarkey, Muck, and Toye.

"You guys aren't going to believe where I'm coming from." He said as he pulled a cigarette from behind his ear.

"Berlin?" Malarkey joked, his eyes scanning the cards in his hand.

"You're hysterical, Malark, truly." He lit the cigarette and took a long drag before continuing. "I was just helping Jacobs evaluate a possible new translator for the airborne..."

"When does this story get good?" Guarnere remarked in his signature South Philly accent.

"If you'd all shut the hell up, I'd get to it," Liebgott yelled. "This translator, she also happens to be a medic."

"This still isn't- wait…she?" Guarnere perked up, suddenly not caring about the card game.

Liebgott smirked, nodding. "That's right. A female may be joining the 506th."

"Is that even allowed?" Malarkey questioned, his eyes as big as saucers.

Liebgott shrugged. "How should I know?" He brought the cigarette back up to his lips.

"Hell, I ain't complainin'." Guarnere smirked. "What's the broad's name?"

"Violet Ryer." Liebgott smiled, remembering the way her gray eyes sparkled and her full pink lips stretched over her teeth when she laughed.

"That's a hot name." Muck commented, earning a slap to the back of his head from Malarkey.

"You think we'd be lucky enough to get her in Easy?"

Malarkey's question hung in the air, each man contemplating it.

"Where else would she go? Fox company? She wouldn't survive a day with those idiots." Guarnere broke the silence gruffly and everyone laughed in agreement before shifting their attention away from the mysterious new girl.

* * *

Violet finished bandaging a fake wound on the arm of a nervous-looking private before turning to Colonel Sink. Next to him stood Eugene Roe, a medic from Easy Company that Sink had brought in to scrutinize her every move.

She'd had to identify each piece of equipment, explain how to treat certain wounds and illnesses, show how to properly apply a tourniquet, and finally, as she had just done, demonstrate how to bandage up both an arm and a leg wound.

Sink turned to Roe, seeking his opinion on Violet's skills.

Roe nodded emotionlessly, not looking at her. "I have nothing else to ask of her, sir, she knows what she's doing. In fact, she's more advanced than most of the men we have right now." His statement verified what Violet had guessed at in Sink's office earlier that day.

"Very well, then. Looks like all that's left to do is assign you to a company, but I believe I've already made my decision. Seeing as you've met both Private Liebgott and Private Roe, it seems only fitting to put you in Easy Company."

Violet jumped up and down, her stomach flipping in excitement. She hugged Sink, who coughed in embarrassment, before hugging Roe. He hesitantly returned the hug, blushing furiously. She stepped back, beaming at the two abashed men.

"Right…well…" Sink cleared his throat, "first you'll need to go for a medical exam to make sure you're physically qualified for the airborne, and then we'll speak with Lt. Sobel. He's the commanding officer of Easy Company."

Violet nodded passionately, motioning with her arm for Sink to lead the way. He looked at Roe, who shrugged his shoulders, before leading Violet out of the infirmary.

* * *

After the medical exam cleared her for recruitment, Violet followed Sink to another building while he described the newly created paratrooper division, and what her role in it would be. Soon they came to a bright office. The room was relatively large, with a desk on each side of it and a big window facing the field.

A lanky, dark-haired officer stood immediately when Sink entered the room, and his stance remained rigid even when the Colonel told him to stand at ease.

"Lt. Sobel, this is Violet Ryer." Sink began. Sobel's cold eyes lingered over her body, causing her to shift uncomfortably. "She will be joining Easy Company as a medic and a German translator."

This got Sobel's attention. "Excuse me, sir?" He spoke quickly in panic. "I cannot have a woman in Easy Company…it's…unheard of."

Sink shook his head and spoke sternly. "You'll do what I tell you to do. Now, Miss. Ryer will be joining Easy Company, and that's an order, not a request, Lieutenant."

Sobel's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed uneasily. "Y-yes, sir."

"Good. I'll leave it to your good judgment to find some gear and a place to stay for Miss. Ryer."

With that, Sink left Violet to defend herself against the wrath of Easy's CO.

"This must be a joke." Sobel muttered under his breath as he walked out from behind his desk.

He looked her over again before meeting her eyes. Without speaking, he turned to leave the room.

'_I guess that means I should follow him…_' Violet thought, annoyed, as she left the room behind him.

They walked briskly down the hallway without speaking. She struggled to keep up; one of his strides was three of hers. She was beginning to run out of breath when he finally stopped before a room marked 'Storage.'

"I suppose if I can't find a uniform for you in here, you can borrow Perconte's." he mumbled.

She had no idea who he was talking about, but she wasn't about to make conversation with the man.

"Here," he said as he tossed a heap of clothes into her small arms. "This will have to do. It's not like you'll make it long here anyway."

The comment made her want to drop the clothes and punch him square in his ugly face, but she held back. It would only prove his point if she were kicked out before she had even begun her training.

"As for your living arrangements, if you want to play like one of the boys, you can sleep with them too." He must have sensed that her face was heating up, even though it was hidden by the pile in her arms. He cleared his throat. "Sleep in the same room, that is."

She nodded but realized what a pointless gesture it was.

"Right, well. I'll show you the way to barracks." He said as he walked away from her.

She didn't try to keep up this time, the clothes weighed too heavily on her.

"Dinner is at 1700 hours in the mess hall; keep in mind it is now 1600 hours." He called behind him at her.

Violet rolled her eyes, already taking a strong disliking to Lt. Sobel. She almost crashed into him when he stopped in front of her, causing a shirt to slip from the pile.

"I expect you to be changed out of…that-" he eyed her navy blue dress disapprovingly, "before dinner. Don't be late."

"Yes sir," came her muffled reply, and she saluted him to the best of her ability before he left.

'_Well, here goes everything_.'She thought as she opened the flimsy wooden door to the barracks.

She let out a sigh as she pushed past the dumbfounded men to the only empty bed in the room, and she dropped the armload of clothes on to it before turning to the men that had gathered curiously around her.

She folded her arms across her chest and smiled slightly. "Hi, everyone."

A few returned her greeting quietly, but otherwise, the group remained silent.

"Tough crowd," she joked. "I'm Violet…I'm uh…going to be a medic with Easy Company." She looked around the room, starting to feel very self-conscious under their stares.

Suddenly, the crowd began to part a bit as a man pushed his way through. Violet grinned when she saw that it was Liebgott.

"C'mon, fellas, never seen a girl before? Leave her alone." He walked up to her, smiling apologetically. "Sorry about that, their testosterone is getting the best of their manners." He shot a look at Muck, who in turn hurried away to where Malarkey stood.

Violet laughed and Liebgott once again found himself being drawn in by her eyes. He'd never seen eyes shine with as much life as hers did.

"Hi there, doll. Lieb, ya gonna introduce us, or what?"

Liebgott rolled his eyes as Guarnere kissed Violet's knuckles, causing her to giggle. "Violet, this is Gonorrhea."

She stopped laughing and her eyes widened. "That's…not your real name, is it?"

Guarnere slapped Liebgott in the stomach with the back of his hand. "No, Lieb just likes to think he's funny. The name's Bill Guarnere."

When she heard his real last name she understood the joke, and nodded knowingly. "I see," she laughed, "I'm Violet Ryer."

"Oh, I know. Lieb hasn't shut up about ya since he got back from Jacobs's office." Guarnere smirked as Liebgott's smile slid from his face.

Violet blushed, giggling again. '_If you don't stop giggling, Violet, they're going to think you're six years old.'_ She scolded herself.

The men turned to look as the door to the barracks opened and a handsome redhead stepped in. The men saluted him, and she could hear that a few greeted him as Lieutenant Winters. Violet's heart sped up as she looked him over. He radiated with a strength she'd never encountered before, and it surprised her how attractive she found him to be.

Lt. Winters was about to address the troops when the door opened again, and Violet froze when she saw the face of the man walking in.

"_Lewis_" she whispered.

He looked up as if he had heard her, and when he caught her gaze his face turned a sickly pale color.

"Violet."


	2. Burden In My Hand

**Camp Toccoa, Georgia, mid-August, 1942**

The room was silent as the two stared at each other. Violet was the first to break from the trance, and she hurried over to Lewis, placing her hand on his forearm.

"Can I speak to you outside?" she asked quietly, her eyes momentarily meeting the bewildered gaze of Lt. Winters. Her face grew hot, and she tugged Lewis out the door.

"What the hell was that?" Guarnere remarked as the door shut.

* * *

"What are you doing here, Vi? Why aren't you in New York?" Lew asked incredulously, his voice hoarse.

She looked at him sadly. "I couldn't just sit around while you went off to fight, I felt completely useless."

"Do mom and dad know you're here?"

She shook her head, looking down at the ground and making circles in the dirt with the toe of her shoe.

"Good. You're going back home on the first train out of Toccoa."

Her head shot up and she eyed him angrily. "No."

"Violet, don't be difficult. This isn't you tagging along with me to the movies; I'm going off to fight in a fricken war!"

She stood her ground, not softening in the slightest. "I'm not a child anymore, Lewis, I'm twenty years old. I can make my own decisions, and I've decided to be a medic and translator with Easy Company." She tilted her chin up in defiance.

He shook his head, laughing without humor. "I cannot believe this is happening." His skin paled further when his eyes widened in realization. "Does Sink know you're my sister?"

"No, I used mom's maiden name."

He nodded, his shoulders relaxing only slightly. "I bet dad is going to regret his enthusiasm towards you learning German when he finds out where you are. Where the hell do they think you are anyway?"

She shrugged, uncaring. "I left a note saying I was going to work in a hospital in DC. The excuse didn't matter, you know them."

"Unfortunately," he scoffed, and they both laughed quietly. "God dammit, Vi." he sighed, "why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"I learned from the best," she grinned innocently.

He tried not to smile as he scolded her. "This isn't a joke. There isn't anything I can say to change your mind, is there?"

"Sorry, Lew, but no."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Alright then."

She offered him a small smile in comfort, but it turned into a frown when she remembered Sobel's parting words. "What time is it?"

Lew checked his wristwatch. "A quarter to five, why?"

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. "Sobel said I have to be changed into my uniform and in the mess hall by five."

She began to turn towards the door, but Lewis grabbed her arm.

"Wait…don't tell me you're staying in the men's barracks…"

She smiled sheepishly and Lew groaned as he tilted his head towards the sky. "This just keeps getting better and better."

Violet gave him a quick peck on the cheek and started again towards the door. "I'll see you at dinner, Lew."

* * *

By the time Violet had entered the room, Winters was already gone.

She noticed the way the men were gaping at her the moment she stepped through the door.

"You're staring again," she sighed as she walked over to her bed to grab the uniform.

"Don't tell me you're already taken by the lieutenant? Sheesh, babe, I didn't even get a fair chance," Guarnere teased.

She laughed, but inside she was debating whether or not to tell the men her true relation to Lew. She had decided to give Sink the false last name so that there would be no way for her to be connected to the other Nixon in the airborne; even though she had no idea that she would be working so closely with him. Among the thousands of paratroopers in the army, she hadn't even expected to see him. Now that she knew they'd be in the same company, she feared that if she told people he was her brother, Sink would either separate them or, worse, send her home. So, at least until she was absolutely sure she could trust the men, she would let them think what they wanted of hers and Lewis's relationship- no matter how disgusting the thought may be.

Luckily, none of the men pushed the matter any further- but she knew that probably wouldn't last long.

She bit her lip and studied the room, looking for a place to change. She considered hiding under the blankets of her bed, but she dismissed the idea almost as quickly as it had come.

"Hey, Liebgott?" she turned to Joe, who was sitting on his bed studying his bayonet. "Could you do me a favor?"

A minute later, Violet was changing in the corner of the room behind a blanket that was kindly being held up by Malarkey and Joe. Guarnere had offered his services, but Violet politely declined. She knew he would try to catch a glimpse of her.

She straightened out the uniform and smiled thankfully at Joe and Malark.

"Lookin' good, kid," Joe Toye called out at her, making her blush for the hundredth time that day.

'_Better get used to it, Vi. One woman amongst many men._'

"Thank you, Joe. I better get going, don't want to keep Sobel waiting," she rolled her eyes.

This seemed to entertain Guarnere quite a bit. "See, she ain't even been here a full day and she already hates the guy."

* * *

Violet walked with Liebgott, Malarkey, Guarnere, and Luz to the mess hall, where Herbert Sobel stood outside the doors. "Miss. Ryer," he smirked, looking around at the men that walked with her. She didn't miss the fact that he hadn't called her 'Private Ryer'.

Guarnere and Liebgott both instinctively inched in front of Violet, placing themselves between her and Sobel. He raised his eyebrows, amused by the protectiveness of the men. Violet glared at them, angry that they were giving Sobel a reason to think she couldn't take care of herself; no matter how endearing their intentions were.

She stepped forward towards Sobel, straightening her stance and puffing out her chest. "Lieutenant," she saluted before stepping around him and entering the hall.

She'd never heard so much noise in all her life, and not all the men had even arrived yet. Being the only woman in the room was intimidating to say the least, and Violet approached the food line with her head down. She had hoped that wearing the uniform and pinning her dark hair up would make it less obvious to the men that she was the odd-one-out, but she could still feel their stares on the back of her neck.

"Stop staring, it's rude," she muttered to herself, knowing she'd never have the courage to announce it to the men.

"Yes, it is."

The reply caught her off guard, and she looked wide-eyed to where it had come from. She blushed furiously when she saw that in front of her on the line stood Lt. Winters. '_Jesus, your face might as well be permanently red._'

Winters thanked a private who placed food on his tray before turning to her. "I apologize on their behalf. They're obviously not used to seeing a woman around here."

"I know…I guess I can't blame them, but I'm starting to feel like an alien," she said as she chanced a look around the room.

One boy stared at her while inattentively bringing a spoonful of potatoes to his mouth. Soon, the contents of the spoon were in his lap.

Violet's nose wrinkled in disgust and she turned back to Winters, whose eyebrows were raised at the comical scene.

"Dick Winters," he said as he held out his hand. She took it, the feel of his skin on hers sending a strange chill down her spine.

"Violet Ryer," she replied. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when Liebgott approached the pair.

"Hey, Vi, we're sitting at a table in the back, come sit with us," he said, nodding his head in recognition at Winters.

"Alright," Violet answered before turning to Dick. "Well, I guess I'll see you around."

"Uh, yeah, I'll see you around," he repeated, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly.

She smiled and left the way Liebgott had, balancing her tray as she made her way to the table.

"Hey, there she is!" Guarnere greeted happily as Violet sat across from him, in between Luz and Toye.

Liebgott smiled, watching as Violet smacked Luz's hand away from her food. They went back and forth, joking around with each other as if she had been with the men for weeks rather than hours.

* * *

Nixon looked up from his coffee as Dick took the seat across from him and he mumbled an unintelligible hello.

"Jeez, Nix, you look terrible," he commented as he added sugar to his own coffee.

"Thanks, Dick," Lew tried to laugh.

Truth was he'd been sick to his stomach since he'd seen Violet. Dick hadn't mentioned the strange interaction that had occurred in the men's barracks, but Nix could tell he was curious about the new girl.

"So, I was standing on line before with Easy's newest recruit…" He looked to Nixon, but when he saw no reaction he continued on. "Are you going to tell me who she is, Lew?"

Lewis poked around at the food on his plate, not meeting Dick's gaze. He knew he could trust Dick; after all, they'd been good friends since OCS, but something in him made him hesitate in telling the truth.

"Alright, fine. You don't have to talk about it." Dick took a sip of his coffee and changed the topic to classroom instruction, or something of the sort. Nix was too caught up in his own mind to listen.

Growing up, it had just been the two of them. Their parents were the usual aristocratic type, too busy to pay attention to their children, and so Lewis and Violet had learned to rely on each other. His sister was the most important person in the world to him (though he would probably never tell her that), and he knew if she did follow him into the war, he'd constantly be putting himself in danger to protect her.

He looked across the room and spotted her sitting at a table with a few Easy men. She was laughing at something Guarnere was saying, and Nix couldn't help but smile at the sight. She would have the men wrapped around her finger in days, if she didn't already.

* * *

"So where are you from, doll?" Guarnere asked her before shoveling a spoonful of corn into his mouth.

"Well, right now, my home is New York City. But I've lived all over the place."

"Is that how you learned German?" Webster asked from a few seats down the table.

"Yup…I lived there for a year when I was in the 5th grade." She took a bite of her meatloaf, instantly regretting it as her face contorted in repulsion. "What the hell is this?"

The men around her laughed as she painstakingly swallowed it.

"It's rubber army meat," Perconte stated matter-of-factly with a goofy grin.

She downed her water, hoping to rid her mouth of the foul taste, while Guarnere continued his questioning. "How old are ya?"

"Just turned twenty in June," she answered in between swallows.

"Hey, no kiddin'! My birthday's June 17th!" Luz exclaimed.

She laughed at his excitement, "Would you look at that! I'm the 24th!"

"Where'd you learn to be a medic?" Webster asked casually.

"I took classes with the Red Cross after Pearl Harbor…I thought maybe I could be of use at some point," she shrugged.

"Well, here you are…you'll certainly be of use now," Luz commented.

"I sure hope so," she smiled at him.

She looked around at the men as they carried on with their own conversations. She'd only been with them for a little over an hour, yet she could already feel unbreakable ties binding her to each of them.

She began to worry about this. How was she going to be able to handle these men getting hurt…dying even…when after an hour she was so attached?

* * *

The next day started early…very, very early…and Guarnere practically had to carry Violet out of bed.

"Bill…leave me alone," she whined.

"Sorry, babe, but you gotta get up."

Eventually, she had dragged herself out of bed and into her uniform before trailing behind the men to the mess hall for breakfast.

After a quick meal of unidentifiable mush, Violet joined the other members of Easy outside for their morning calisthenics.

It was pure embarrassment that kept Violet going with the rest of the men, all of whom were in much better shape than she. She refused to stop, to rest, to give up…she wouldn't give Sobel the satisfaction.

She was pleasantly surprised when she saw Lewis, holding his own among the others. She'd never seen him as being particularly athletic, but he looked like he was holding up well; much better than she was.

When Sobel announced that they would be running up the mountain that dominated the field, Violet thought he was kidding. She should have known better, with Sobel being the bastard that he was.

She was doing well until the hills started to get steeper, and her short legs struggled to support her. She slipped on some rocks and clenched her eyes tight, bracing herself for the fall that didn't come. Instead, she felt a strong hand clasp around her arm and pull her into a standing position. She looked up in time to see Dick jogging away from her, her stomach flipping when he smiled at her over his shoulder.

The pride she felt when she completed the run with the rest of the men was indescribable; her physical limits had been far greater than she knew.

She used the same method she had the day before when she changed out of her PT gear, with Malarkey and Liebgott holding up the blanket for her.

The other men weren't nearly as shameful, and they dropped their shorts right in front of her. Only a few, mostly the married men such as Lipton and Martin, had had the decency to change in Fox Company's barracks. Violet covered her eyes, nearly tripping over a bed as she made her way to her own, earning several chuckles from the men.

After a moment or so, she opened her eyes, hoping that it was safe. Most of the men had at least gotten their pants on, and Violet felt her mouth open slightly at the sight of them. They were in amazing physical shape already, and they hadn't even been at Toccoa a full month. Having experienced the morning's exercises, Violet knew exactly how they'd come to be, but the sight was still surprising.

She found her eyes trailing over Guarnere's arms and chest...she couldn't think of a word to describe his body. '_Amazing maybe?_' Guarnere smirked when he caught her gaze, and her whole body burned like it never had before. She shrunk lower into the bed, grateful that he hadn't announced her embarrassment to the other men. She was only a girl, she couldn't help herself. She vowed on the spot that she would never again get mad at the men for staring at her.

* * *

After a boring classroom lecture about maps (or at least she thought it was about maps), Violet joined the other men in the mess hall for dinner.

She briefly considered eating with Lew, but the men hadn't mentioned anything about him to her yet, and she didn't want to give them a reason to. Instead, she offered him a small wave as she passed his table and sat at the same table she had the night before.

"Should I continue with my round of questions tonight?" Guarnere asked when she sat down.

She shrugged, trying to figure out what their dinner was supposed to be. "If you want to."

"I do. Ya got any siblings?"

She felt her hands clam up and her blood rushed to her ears. "Um, yeah…I have an older brother….Stan," she stated nervously, using her father's name in place of her brother's.

She took a deep breath, relieved when Guarnere started talking about his own nine siblings instead of questioning her further.

She stared absentmindedly at her dish, her appetite suddenly gone.

"Hey," Liebgott nudged her from across the table. "You okay?"

She smiled at him, nodding. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Liebgott returned to his conversation with Toye and Violet turned discreetly to look at Lew.

"I'm okay," she whispered.


	3. You Knew It Wouldn't Last

**A/N: Okay, so I know you'll probably want to kill me over how short this is, but I hope I'm making up for it by submitting two chapters at once. Thank you to all who have been reviewing, your comments mean a lot to me and I hope you will continue with them! **

**To Dancing In Red, I did consider the "Violet in the men's barracks" dilemma, and in my original version of this story, I actually had Violet staying in a house outside of the base. I decided to go with having her in the barracks because it allowed me to have more interaction between her and the men, and I figured that it actually could be smart on the army's part having her stay with the men from the get-go, because, after all, she would have to spend the entire war with them, and Sink did say that she wouldn't be treated any differently. I did try to make that clear in the next chapter, so I hope you find this to be just _a little_ bit more realistic, haha.**

**To everyone, enjoy, and please review!**

* * *

**Camp Toccoa, George, mid-November, 1942**

The weeks passed without much change; every day Sobel thought up a way to physically torture them, and every day they proved they were capable of taking whatever he had to throw at them. By mid-November, even Violet was able to complete twenty push-ups without breaking a sweat.

Violet and Lewis had decided that the only way they could see each other was in secret, so they met every night at ten thirty behind the mess hall. Each night, without fail, Violet complained.

"I'm sneaking around to see my brother. How ridiculous is that?" she scoffed.

"Yeah, well…it's either this or we don't speak at all."

"Who said I want to speak to you?" she smiled at him before turning serious. "When do you think we can tell the men? We can trust them…"

Lew nodded slowly but he his confliction was obvious. "I know we can…but what if one of them slips? Mentions it in front of Sobel or something? That guy would love to get us both sent home."

"I don't really understand…I mean I did in the beginning, if Sink found out then he might have thought I was a naive little sister joining only to follow her big brother…but I think now that I've proved I'm here to be a soldier…"

She was cut off when Lewis shook his head. "I don't think it works like that, Vi. You're already in a vulnerable position being a woman…there are plenty of men here that want you gone solely for that fact," he corrected himself when he saw the look of distress on her face, "don't worry, none of the men in Easy," he rolled his eyes. "Please, you've got those guys on a leash. No, I mean the higher-ups that don't know anything about you except your gender…they believe having a woman makes the whole regiment look weak. If they found out you've lied about who you are, you'd be gone so quickly you wouldn't even know what happened."

She groaned tapping her fist against the wall. "I hate that they don't know the truth, Lew."

Lewis thought about Dick. He was his best friend, yet he still had no idea. "Yeah…me too."

* * *

Two nights later, Violet was running late to meet with Lewis. She stumbled out of the barracks, cursing as she attempted to put her shoe on.

In her rush, she was careless in concealing herself, and sure enough, when she was only feet away from the mess hall, a voice stopped her from going any further.

"Private Ryer?"

She turned to find Lt. Winters staring at her curiously. '_Is he blushing?_'

"Lieutenant Winters," she saluted.

"What are you doing out of barracks?" he asked softly.

She took a deep breath. "I, uh, couldn't sleep."

It was hard to be sure in the dark, but Violet thought she saw a small smile grace his lips. "Yeah, neither could I."

He looked down to his feet, kicking at the ground. "Do you want to take a walk?"

He said it so quietly, she wasn't sure she heard him correctly. "Sorry?"

Dick looked up at her. Now she was sure he was blushing. "Do you, uh…want to take a walk?"

She smiled at him, stepping closer. "Sure."

As they passed the side of the mess hall, Violet discreetly motioned to Lewis to go away; they would not be meeting tonight. She could see his confusion, but when he saw who she was walking with, he nodded and disappeared into the darkness.

"So where are you from?" he asked her.

She chuckled, a hint of bitterness to it. "Where am I not from?" He raised an eyebrow at her, forcing her to explain. "My family moved around a lot. What about you? Where are you from?"

"Lancaster, Pennsylvania."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Isn't that where the Amish live?"

He laughed and she realized she'd never heard him laugh before; it was an indescribably pleasant sound. "In some parts, yes…but I'm not Amish," he chuckled.

"I don't think I've ever been to Pennsylvania…funny isn't it? I've been all around the world, but never to the state closest to my house...or at least my current one." She stuffed her hands into her pockets, looking up at the moon.

Dick let his gaze rest on her, taking in the way the moonlight reflected in her eyes, making them shine a brilliant silver. "This is the farthest I've ever been away from home…took a war to get me to leave the farm," he smiled.

"You're lucky though, you know," she brought her eyes to meet his, blushing when she noticed the interest in them.

"How do you figure?"

"You have a home…one place that you can say you grew up in and always return to. I've only ever had a house, or an apartment…we even stayed in some swanky hotel for a few months when I was in the first grade. But no matter where I was, I was never home." She trailed off sadly, averting her eyes from his. She cleared her throat a little, not meaning for things to get so emotional. "And plus…I have _never _gotten to see an Amish person!" She folded her arms across her chest in mock outrage, earning a laugh from Dick.

They walked in comfortable silence after that, enjoying the unusually cool night. Every now and then Violet would glance at him from the corner of her eye, taking in his handsome features. Before this, she hadn't spoken to him much since their first introduction, and when she had it was either during calisthenics or other training exercises. She had only watched him from afar, admiring his strong presence and the respect he held from all of the men.

"Violet?"

His voice caught her attention, and she realized they were back at the barracks.

"Oh…guess I dazed off a bit, huh?" she laughed.

"Maybe you're more tired than you thought," he smiled.

"Maybe…well, I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she stepped towards the door.

He nodded, "Goodnight, Violet."

She smiled again before opening the door and whispered to him quietly, careful not to wake the men. "Goodnight."

* * *

Dick walked back to the officer barracks, not realizing he was whistling. He was a few steps short of the building when he spotted Lew, leaning against the wall with his trusty flask in hand.

"Where were you?" Nix asked, bringing the flask to his lips.

Dick ignored his question, rolling his eyes when they caught the metal flask. "Hey, Nix, do you remember what you asked me when I told you where I was from?"

Lew smirked, "Yeah, I asked if you were Amish."

Dick shook his head, laughing.

"I wasn't serious!" Nix laughed, but soon his brows rose in suspicion. "Why?" Nix questioned, looking at his friend as if he were a maniac.

"She's your sister."


	4. Blood and Guts

**A/N: I heart reviews**

**

* * *

**

**Camp Toccoa, Georgia, mid-November, 1942**

"What?" Nix asked innocently.

Dick shook his head, laughing in disbelief. "I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier…she looks a lot like you, save for the eyes."

Nix sighed in defeat and pushed himself off of the wall. There was no use in trying to hide it; he had been planning to tell Dick soon anyway. "Yeah…she's got my mom's eyes."

Dick searched Lew's face, his eyebrows furrowing in hurt. "Why didn't you tell me, Lew?"

Lewis shook his head. "I don't know…protectiveness, shame…"

"Shame? What would you be ashamed of?" Dick asked.

Nix stuffed the flask into his breast pocket, before running a hand through his hair. "Jesus, Dick, I don't know…you and I both know none of the officers are thrilled with her joining the company…" he grew quiet, his voice barely above a whisper as he continued, "and she's my problem."

Dick's eyes grew soft in understanding. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think she's proving herself to be just as good as the men…"

"I never thought she couldn't do it…she's a hell of a girl," the corners of his mouth pulled into a tight but proud smile, "but it doesn't make it any easier having her here. My job will be hard enough without having to worry about her."

Dick nodded. "Well, your secret's safe with me…although I do think you could trust the Easy men with it. They wouldn't want to get her in trouble; they're already crazy about her."

Lew rolled his eyes, smirking. "Yeah, don't remind me…say, how did you figure it out?" He started, fixing himself when he saw Dick's confused expression. "That she's my sister?"

Dick shrugged, considering his answer for a moment. "To be honest, I don't know exactly. I had a gut feeling that I couldn't explain…but when she mentioned moving around a lot as a kid, and the way she spoke with such disdain about her childhood…it kind of reminded me of a certain brooding officer…" he smirked.

"Yeah, well, I guess we are a lot alike…we did both have the same blissful childhood experience," he muttered sarcastically.

Dick nodded knowingly, stepping towards the door to the barracks. He turned to Lew with his hand rested on the knob, "Are you coming?"

Lew waved his hand, motioning for Dick to go without him. Dick was about to question it, but shook his head instead and continued on when he saw Nix reach for his breast pocket.

* * *

The whole regiment was buzzing with excitement as Thanksgiving drew nearer. Word had spread that Sink was arranging a feast for the troops, and Violet could already feel her mouth watering at the thought.

"It's starting to get pathetic how excited I am over this dinner," she said to Bill as they walked together, like they usually did, on the weekly Friday night march.

"Starting to?" he smirked, wincing when Violet hit him in the back of the head, causing his helmet to slouch forward.

"Lieutenant Winters?" Violet heard Bull Randleman's strong southern drawl pierce through the night.

"What is it?" Winters replied, his husky voice sending a shiver down Violet's spine.

"Permission to speak, sir."

"Granted."

"Sir, we got nine companies, sir," Bull started.

"We do," Winters answered, his curiosity evident.

"Well, how come we're the only one marching every Friday night, twelve miles, full pack, in the pitch dark?"

Violet strained forward, eager to hear Winters's response.

"Why do you think, Private Randleman?"

"Lieutenant Sobel hates us, sir."

Winters feigned shock, turning slightly towards Bull. "Lieutenant Sobel does not hate Easy Company, Private Randleman." He paused, and Violet could practically hear the smirk in his voice. "He just hates you."

The whole company roared with laughter as Private Randleman replied with "Thank you, sir."

Violet felt Guarnere nudge her side as she adjusted the pack's straps on her shoulders. "Who woulda thought the Lieutenant had a sense of humor, huh?"

She bit her lip, smiling slyly to herself as she watched Dick up ahead. '_I have a feeling there's a lot to Richard Winters that we don't know about._'

"How you doin', Vi?" George Luz turned around to ask her, his usual goofy grin in place.

"I'm just fine, Georgie, how are you?" she smiled sweetly.

"I was great until you called me Georgie," he rolled his eyes, causing her to laugh louder than she intended to, and she blushed furiously when Dick turned to look at her. He didn't say anything, but Violet detected a small smile as he turned back around.

**

* * *

**

Camp Toccoa, Georgia, Thanksgiving Day, 1942

Violet gripped her stomach, willing herself not to gag.

"You're alright, babe, just relax," Guarnere said tenderly, rubbing her arm.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in a deep breath through her mouth. Before them, wire was stretched across the field, 18 inches off of the ground. Beneath the wire, the ground was sprayed with the intestines of freshly slaughtered hogs. Nothing went to waste- hearts, lungs, guts, livers- all present.

In a few minutes time, Easy Company and the rest of the second battalion would be crawling under those wires as machine-gunners fired above it.

'_Maybe I'm not cut out for this, after all…maybe I could prove Sobel and Sink and everyone else who knew I couldn't do this, right…and leave now…_'

She shook her head and looked around at the rest of Easy Company. She was surrounded by men she had adopted as her brothers; they were all in the same boat, and there was no way she would jump ship. She felt guilty even considering it.

She turned a sickly green as her mind wandered to the Thanksgiving dinner. The feast that she had been looking forward to for a week was now pushing her closer to vomiting.

"Vi…" she heard rather than saw Liebgott rush up to her, placing his cool hands on her cheeks and gently urging her to look at him. "Are you alright? Do you want me to get Doc Roe?"

It took her a moment, but she slowly shook her head, offering him a small smile. "So I can miss all the fun? No, I'm okay."

He studied her, worry overtaking his features. He was about to say something else, but he thought against it and let his hands drop to his sides.

Just then, Major Strayer called for the attention of the companies, signaling that the training was about to begin.

Violet took one last deep breath of relatively fresh air before stepping forward. The smell hit her hard and she clenched her fists, closing her eyes.

When she opened them, she involuntarily felt her eyes travel to where Lt. Winters stood, his brow furrowed in concentration as he looked over the field. Violet stared at his lips, reveling in the sexy pout that his mouth always formed. She was snapped harshly out of her thoughts as her view was blocked by a mess of dark hair. Her initial anger was quickly replaced by relief that her brother had unintentionally put an end to her embarrassing gawking. _'There's a field of pig guts in front of you and you're more worried about staring at your superior officer. Fantastic_.'

"Ready, Vi?" Guarnere asked her.

"Nope."

She heard him chuckle as they both got low to the ground, ready to face one of the most miserable moments of their life.

**A little while later...**

Violet stood swiping away a piece of hair from her face and she offered a weary smile to Bill. He slung his arm around her shoulders, his exhausted expression no doubt mirroring her own.

"We did it, kid," he whispered to her, lifting her spirits despite the fact that both she and the man that was hanging on her were covered in mud and gore.

She'd never felt so proud of herself in her life. Having completed the drill was so satisfying it was indescribable.

"How are you feelin'?" Liebgott approached her, smiling at her satisfied expression.

"Surprisingly amazing," she laughed. "Maybe I should cover myself in pig guts more often."

His nose scrunched in disgust. "Well you could, but I can't guarantee I'd still be your friend."

She feigned a hurt expression, covering her heart with her hand dramatically. "But, Joe…you smell, and I'm still your friend." Her eyes twinkled wickedly.

He bit his lip, trying to contain his smile. "You're going to regret saying that…"

She grinned at him, in the back of her mind savoring the fact that they could joke around even in their condition. She could only hope that they'd be able to keep that same sense of good humor when they actually got into the war.

* * *

Dark eyes surveyed Violet, taking in her every move. They didn't move off her, even when a man cleared his throat nervously, hoping to catch the taller man's attention.

"Lieutenant Sobel, sir?" Evans attempted again, finally succeeding in drawing Sobel's eyes away from the girl.

"What is it?" Sobel snapped, impatient with his dim-witted subordinate.

"I've been watching her, like you asked…but uh…she hasn't done anything yet."

"You think I don't know that?" Sobel bit back, his eyes finding Violet again.

"Maybe we were wrong, sir…"

"No. We just need to give it some more time…it'll happen." His words were coated with doubt, and he licked his lips in concern.

"I never did ask you…how did you get Sink to agree with assigning Violet to the men's barracks?" Evans asked timidly, fearing Sobel might lash out on him for asking the question.

To his surprise, Sobel scoffed smugly. "I was very convincing. He was hesitant at first, but I made him see that Miss. Ryer would need to get used to being around the men eventually…she's going to spend the entire war with them...or so she thinks" he smirked to himself "and we might as well assimilate her into their groups now."

"Does he know that's part of our plan?" Evans asked, his eyes widening excitedly.

Sobel stared at him in disgust. "You really are stupid, aren't you?"

Evans looked to the ground, his shoulders slumping.

"The plan stays between us. It may be taking longer than I would have liked, but she'll break eventually. Just look at the sickening way Private Liebgott stares at her…something will happen with them soon, and when it does we'll have our ticket to sending her home," he muttered, almost as if he were speaking to himself, "Patience. That's all we need. She'll hand everything else to us herself."


End file.
